Her reply was that in heaven we will receive a new body and that the old one is not needed. Anyone have a scripture reference about not needing our bodies?

In one sense your mother is correct, because we will be given new, uncorrupted bodies, and the current body (full of corruption and impermanence) will no longer be needed.

On the other hand, it is believed that un-necessary cremation of the body dis-respects the integrity of the bodily form, a bodily form that exists even now in this corrupted body, and will exist also in the resurrected body.

« Last Edit: September 20, 2010, 03:51:47 PM by Jetavan »

Logged

If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

After a small discussion with my mother tonight she told me she wanted to be creamated. I mentioned to her that when someone dies in the bible most of the time they talk about burying the person.

Her reply was that in heaven we will receive a new body and that the old one is not needed. Anyone have a scripture reference about not needing our bodies?

My Father has expressed an intrest in being cremated when He passes on,thinking it won't place such a finacial burden on the family,at first I didn't think much about it,but after further reading,I have have some reservations,any thoughts?

There are basically two reasons that the church does not currently allow cremation (Except in Japan where it is required by law):

1) Cremation traditionally was done by those who denied the physical resurrection and thus to cremate the body was to deny eternal life (a heresy).

2) Today, ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š an additional argument against cremation is the brutality and basic disrespect that the body is treated during and after the cremation. Orthodox converts who have worked in funeral homes ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š have described it to me. ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š The body is unceremoniously put into an oven that is meant to burn the flesh, blood, and organs. ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š When it is cooled with luck most of the flesh, tissues , etc are dust but not always, what ever is left is scraped off the bones and put into a garbage bag to be disposed of with the other waste byproducts of a funeral home. This dust is not saved to be placed in the urn with the cremains (we will see what the cremains are later) but instead disposed of as one would dirt. The bones will still exist either whole or melded together. These bones are then placed into a crushing machine that will pulverize them into the white/grey "cremains" that are returned to ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š the family. ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Once the box/urn is full the rest of the cremains are brushed into a box with other cremains and Will be sold to porcelain makers to make bone china. As can be seen Cremation is neither respectful to the dead body nor gentle but disrespectful and violent to the shell that once contained the soul of a living human being, the image of God.

In Christ,Thomas

But my original question is not why the orthodox dont like cremation but why do protestants desire and accept cremation?

Maybe there is a scripture verse that they are using to encourage cremation?

The Hindu practice of burning the body is a deliberate act of destruction, a statement that declares that the atman (soul) has migrated to another physical shell. While this is clearly not a Christian attitude many Protestants do seem to have adopted the dualistic thinking that it is the soul that counts, and that in heaven they won't need this old body. Of course the Christian teaching has always been that all humanity will be resurrected bodilt for judgement. In the UK it has long been the practice to bury people facing east to represent their waiting for Christ's return so that they may stand to meet Him face to face.

Just like was mentioned above, we will not get "new" bodies. The one's we currently have will be "renewed".

Remember, when Christ was resurrected, He appeared to His disciples in His "renewed" form...which could be touched, yet could walk through walls.

However, His previous body did not still remain in the tomb. This was the same body in a new form.

Logged

Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria